Punching device



G. F. WALES PUNCHING DEVICE July 6, 1943.

Filed May l2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l NVE/VTO/F 77% A TTOR/VEYS QM Pa vz.

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7/ 74 M if 79 G. F. WALES PUNCHING DEVICE July 6, 1943.

Filed May 12, 1942 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 w wax 7w? a m Patented July 6,-1943 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,323,431 PUNCHING DEVICE George F. Wales, Kenmore, N. Y. Application May 12, 1942. Serial No. 442,629

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in punching devices or the type in which the die. punch and stripper are assembled on a holder which may be mounted in operative position on a press or other power actuated machine.

One of the objects oi this invention is to provide a punching device of improved and simplified construction in which the die is movable toward and from the punch to effect perforation oi the work. Another object 01' this invention is to provide a punching device of this kind in which a plurality of holes may be punched in the work at one operation of the punching device. I

It is also an object of this invention to provide a punching device oi improved construction -for use in punching holes in channels and in work of other shapes which cannot be conveniently periorated by means of punching devices in which the punch and stripper moves toward and from the die.

Another object of this invention is to provide a punching device of this type with a die of improved construction. It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved punch and stripper mounting.

A further object is to provide an adapter of improved construction, for mounting a multi-hole punching device on a press brake. Another object is to provide an adapter of this type by means of which a punching device of this type may be mounted in various angular relations to a press brake.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a punching device embodying this invention and showing the same mounted in operative relation to a press.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a pair of improved punching devices showing the same mounted on a press.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof, on an enlarged scale, on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a iragmentary'elevation thereof, partly in section, showing the parts in the position which they occupy while operating on the work. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of a plurality oi punching devices mounted for operation on work of elongated form.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section, on line 6-6, Fig. 1. t

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view, on line '|-1, Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the movable die of my improved punching device.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, on line 9-9, Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of my improved punching device on a reduced scale and showingthe same mounted on an adapter on which the punching device may be mounted in different angular relations to the work.

Fig. 11 is an elevation showing an improved punching device arranged at an angle to its adapter.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view or a plurality of punching devices mounted on a bed rail of a press.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of my improved punching device mounted on a temp ate.

It is frequently necessary to punch holes in articles of such, shapes that the use of punching devices as heretofore constructed is dimcult or impossible. For example in the drawings, I have shown work 20 of channel-shape which requires holes to be punched in the bottom 2! thereof. The width of the channel is so small that a punch and its stripping mechanism .could not enter into the channel. Furthermore, the particular work illustrated is intended to have holes punched therein in groups, for example, three holes, as

shown in Fig. 5, such as may be required for securing special fittings to the channel. I have, consequently, provided a construction in which the punches for forming the group of holes in the work are stationary and the die is movable toward and from the punches, since by this arrangement, the die can readily be made of small dimensions so that it easily enters into the channel. While I have illustrated my invention for use in connection with work of channel shape, it will .be obvious that it is not intended to limt the invention to use on work of this shape, since the invention may obviously be employed in connection with many diflerent types or work, including flat sheets.

The punching devices embodying this invention may be employed in connection with any suitable machine or apparatus having a movable part which may actuate the movable die of the punching device and the term press as used herein is intended to designate any apparatus of this type. The word bed" is employed to signify any: stationary part. or such machine or apparatus and the word "ram is used to indicate the movable power actuated member thereoi. In the particular construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, my improved punching devices are shown mounted on a press brake having a stationary bed 24 and a ram 23 movable toward and from the My punching device includes/a holder of any suitable or desired construction on which the parts of the device are mounted. In the particular construction illustrated by way of example, a holder 23 is shown having a base 23 and a head 21 arranged above the base, the base and head being spaced apart to form a gap into which the work may be inserted.

The punch unit shown in the drawings is the punch block 30. This stripper plate is also provided with holes through which the punches 3| and 32 may pass to penetrate the work. The

stripper plate 33 is yieldingly supported in its upper position by means of one or more stripper springs 34, two such springs being shown in the construction illustrated which bear against the underface of the stripper plate 33 and extend into holes 33 in the punch block 30. In the construction shown, these holes 35 extend completely through the punch block, and consequently, the springs 34 bear at their lower ends on the base 23 of the holder. These springs are preferably under initial compression and for this purpose. bolts or screws 36 are provided, the heads of which are arranged in shouldered apertures 38 formed in the base 01' the holder. These bolts extend through the coil springs 34 and have their upper ends securedin threaded holes in the stripper plate 33. If desired, these screws may be turned for adjusting the tension of the springs and the extent to which the upper face of the stripper plate extends above the upper end of the punch. Any other suitable means for stripping the work from the punch or punches and for ad- Justing the tension of the stripper springs may be employed, if desired.

It is also desirable to guide the movement of the stripper plate 33 toward and from the punch supporting block 33. For this purpose, the stripper plate 33 may have. one or more guide pins40 secured thereto which extend downwardly into guide holes formed in the punch block 30. The block 33 may be secured to the base 26 of the holder in any suitable or desired manner, for

example, by means of positioning pins 42 extending through suitably alined holes in the punch block 30 and base 28 of the holder, and screws 43 serve to clamp the block 30 to the base of the holder.

It will be noted that as a result of this construction, the lower ends of the punch or punches may be provided with heads 14 which rest upon the base 28 of the holder so that the block 33 merely supports the punch or punches in correct positions, while the pressures resulting from the perforating of the work are transmitted by the punches directly to the base 26 of the holder. It will also be noted that when it is desired to change punches or to romove them for re-sharD- ening, it is merely necessary to release the screws 33 and 43, whereupon the block 30 and the parts mounted thereon can be removed f om t e die may be formed in one-piece with the stem..

The die shown in the particular construction illustrated by way of example includes a central aperture 43 formed to cooperate with the punch 3|. terminates in a recess Ill formed in a side of the stem 41, see particularly Figs. 3, 4 and 8. and the .slugs or punchings removed from the work by punch 3ienter from the hole or aperture 43 in the die into the recess 33 from which they may e discharged.

The die shown also has laterally extending wings or projecting parts 32 in which holes or apertures 53 are formed to cooperate with the punches 32. The upper ends of these apertures terminate in the upper surfaces of the wings or lateral extensions 32 of the die, and consequently, the slugs or punchings which pass out of the upper ends of the holes 83 are readily discharged from the die. In order to maintain the holes l2 in correct axial alinement with the punches 32, the die must be kept from turning in the head 21 of the holder, and consequently, the stem or die carrier 41 is made of non-circular cross section,

'of the holder.

being square in the construction illustrated by way of example, and the guideway in the head of the holder is, consequently, also made square in cross section. This may be accomplished in any suitable or desired manner, and'in the construction illustrated by way of example. the head of the holder isi'ormed by an integral portion ll, the end of which forms one of the faces of the square hole or guideway in the head of the holder. The guideway may, for example, be completed by a U-shaped member 53 having arms 51 which are secured to the opposite side faces of the integral extension 55. The U-shaped member, consequently, forms the remaining three sides of the square hole or guideway in thehead The U-shaped member may'be suitably secured to the head of the holder in any desired manner, for example, by means of screws 58 and dowel pins 59. If it becomes necessary to remove the punch, this can be done by removing the screws 58 and dowel pins 59. Any other means for producing a guideway in which the die is held against turning may, of course, be provided, if desired.

The stem 41 of the punch may be provided with an enlarged top or head 33 which the ram 23 of the press may'engage to force the die through its working stroke, and suitable means are provided for returning the die to its inoperative position shown in Figs. 1 to 3, such for example as a coil spring 6| arranged about the stem 41 between the top 60 of the stem and the head 21 of the holder.

Preferably the die is withdrawn into the head of the holder so that it will be out of the way of any work while it is being inserted into or removed from the gap between the head and base of the holder. This can be readily accomplished by providing the sides or arms 51 of the U-shaped guide member 53 with notches 33 on opposite sides thereof into which the wings or extensions 52 of the die may enter as shown in Fig. 1.

The holder may also be provided with any suitable or desired gaging means to facilitate the The upper end of the hole or aperture 44 correct positioning the work relatively to the punches and dies, and by way 0! example, I have shown a sage bar OI extending through a hole in the holder and adapted to be secured in desired position by a set screw I, that shown having an extension 81 which engages the gage bar 85.

In the operation of the punching device described, when the ram 28 of the press is in its upper or raised position, as shown in Fig. l. the work 2c may be inserted into the gap in the holder against the end of the gage rod 88 into the position shown in Fig. 3. When the ram of the press descends. the die moves down into engagement with the work, for example, the bottom 2! of the channel in the construction shown, and forces the work, together with the stripper plate 83, downwardly so that the punch or punches penetrate the work as shown in Fig. 4. When in this position, the stripper springs 36 will be compressed and the screws 88 will have moved with the stripper plate into their lower positions. Upon upward movement 0! the ram 2'3, the stripper springs move the work upwardly until the work is stripped from the punch or punches, and the die moves into its upper position because of the action of the spring 68, so that the work can be easily withdrawn from the punching device or devices, without interference by the die 63 and another piece of work put in its place. i

It will be noted that by means of the construction described, a very efllcient punching device is produced in which the movable part is in the form of a relatively small die. By providing a movable die in place of a movable punch, considerable space is saved in that the vertical dimension of the gap between the stripper plate so and the lower face 0! the head 2! or the holder need only be slightly greater than the height of the work. If the positions or the die and punch were reversed and the die mounted in its usual position below the work, a muchlarger space would be required between the die and the stripper plate, and the work would have to be fed into the gap of the punching device horizontally in an inverted position above the die, and would then have to be moved downwardly until the bottom of the work would rest on top 0! the die, thus requiring at least. twice as much vertical space in the gap and making the insertion of the work into the punching device more difilcult.

Punching devices as herein described may be mounted on presses in any suitable manner. For example, in Figs. 1' to 4, I have illustrated a manner of mounting these punching devices on a press brake. In this case, a bed rail it of any suitable shape is secured to the bed 24 of the press in any suitable or usual manner. The bed rail shown by way of example is provided with an upwardly extending rib or key N and a T- slot 12. The base 28 of the holder of the punching device is provided with a transversely extending groove or keyway adapted to fit snugly on the rib or key ll of the rail so as to correctly position the punching device. with reference to the rail. A bolt 13 passing, through a hole in the base 26 of the holder engages a nut 14 in the 1' slot 12 for rigidly securing the punching device to the bed rail 10.

At times, it'is desirable to mount these punching devices on a template II as shown in Fig. 13. For this purpose, the holder 25 o! the punching device may be provided with a pilot pin II extending downwardly mm the lower face of the holder in axial nement with the punch ll, the pilot pin shown being secured in theportion of theholder in which the groove or keyway is formed which-cooperates witlnthe rib or key ll of the rail 10. After a number oi these punching devices are positioned on the template by means oi pilot pins I6 engaging in the locating holes in the template. the punching de-.

vices may be secured in their correct positions by means or screws 11 extending through the hole in the'base of the holder and having a threaded engagement with a hole in the template. In order to avoid the necessity of removing the pilot pins ,1. from the holders oi. the punching devices, the rail 10 shown in Figs. 1 to 3 may be provided with 'a longitudinally extending groove or slot ll into which the pilot pins enter when the punching devices are secured to the rail.

In Figs. 10 to 12 I have shown an improved mounting for multi-hole punching devices which may be used, it it is desired to arrange the holes in diilerent angular relations to the work. In Figs. 10 to 12, I have illustrated one construction, by'means of which this result can be accomplished. In these figures, a bed rail is suitably secured to the base 24 of a press, such for example, as a press brake and the holders ti of the punching devices are mounted on adapters 82 which extend crosswise oi the ra l 86, and

, which may be suitably secured to the rail in any desired positions lengthwise thereof. In the construction illustrated, the rail 80 is provided with an upwardly extending rib or key 84 which engages with a corresponding groove or keyway in the bottom face of the adapter 82. The adapter may be clamped to the bed rail M in any desired manner, for example, by means of adapter in adjusted position on the bed rail.

The holder 8! of the punching device is mounted to swing relatively to the adapter on an axis which coincides with the axis of the punch 3i. In the construction shown for this purpose, the holder at is provided in the bottom thereof with a screw threaded hole coaxial with the punch 3! and a pivot member is provided having a cylindrical pivot portion til extend ng into a corresponding cylindrical hole in the adapter. The pivot member also has a head 9| which prevents the pivot member from moving upwardly out of the shouldered hole in the adapter. The pivot member-also includes athreaded stem portion 92 engaging the threaded hole in the holder 8i which is coaxial with the punch 3|. When the holder Si is secured to the adapter 82 by means of the pivot member described, it will be obvious ctally connected'to the holder of the punching device. For example, one end of this link may extend into a recessed portion in the bottom face of the holder 8i and maybe pivotally connected to this holder by means of a pivot pin 96. The link 95 may be adjustably secured to the adapter 82 in any desired manner, such as providing the link with a longitudinally extending slot 81 and a set screw 93 extending through the slot 91 and into a threaded hole in the adapter 82. By reference to Fig. 12, it will be readily understood that by means of this slotted link, the punching devices may be secured in difierent angular relations to the adapter 82 and clamped in the desired positions by tightening the set screw 98. The two punching devices shown at the left in Fig. 12 are arranged so that the punches there- 01 extend lengthwise oi the work and the other two punching devices are so arranged that the holes punched thereby will extend at an angle to the length of the work.

I claim as my invention:

1. A punching device including a holder, a pillral ty oi! punches mounted on said holder, a sing e die mounted on said holder and having apertures for cooperation with said punches, said die including a stem and having one of said apertures arranged in alinement with said stem, said stem having an opening term nating in the side thereof in which said aperture terminates and through which punchings from said aperture are discharged. said die having a portion extending laterally from said stem and having another of said apertures extending therethrough for discharge of punchings from the upper face of said laterally extending portion at a side 01' said stem.

2. A punching device including a holder, a plurality of punches mounted on said holder, a single die mounted on said holder and havin apertures for cooperation with sa d punches, said die including a stem and having one of said apertures arranged in alinement with said stem, said stem having an opening terminating in the side for normally urging said die into said recess to prevent interference by said die with work moved into and out of said gap.

5. A punching device for use between the bed and ram 01 a press, including a holder having cooperating punch and die units mounted thereon, an adapter arranged to be mounted on the bed of the press, and a pivotal connection between said holder I and said adapter for permitting said holder to swing relatively to said adapter about an axis parallel to said punch.

6. A punching device for use between the bed and ram of a press, including a holder having cooperating punch and die units mounted thereon, an adapter arrangedto be mounted on the bed of the press, a pivotal connection between said holder and said adapter for permitting said holdthereoi in wh ch said aperture terminates and through which punchings from said aperture are discharged, said die having a lateral extension provided with other apertures arranged to cooperate with others of said punches, said other apertures terminating at the upper face of said lateral extension beyond the sides of sa d stem for discharging slugs punched from the work.

3. A punching device including a unitary holder having a base and a head and formed to receive the work between said base and said head, a-

block mounted on said base and having a plurality or punches extending through said block and resting on sa d base, a stripper plate guided for movement toward and from said block, holes extending through said block, springs arranged .in said holes and bearing on said base and said stripper plate and urging said stripper plate into position to strip work from said punches, and a die mounted on said holder having a plurality of apertures formed for cooperation with said punches and movable on said holder toward and from said punches.

4. A punching device includinga holder haver to swing relatively to said adapter about an axis parallel, to said punch, and means Ior securing said holder in the desired relation to said adapter.

7. A punching device for use between the bed and ram or a press brake, including a holder having cooperating punch and die units mounted thereon, a rail mounted on the bed of said press brake, an adapter formed to be secured on said rail in different positions lengthwise thereof and on which said holder may be mounted, and a pivotal connection between said holder and said adapter for permitting said holder to swing about said adapter about an axis parallel to said punch.

8. A punching device for use between the bed and ram of a press brake, including a holder hav-- ing cooperating punch and die units mounted thereon, a rail mounted on the bed of said press brake, an adapter formed to be secured on said rail in diii'erent positions lengthwise thereof and on which said holder may be mounted, a pivotal connection between said holder and said adapter for permitting said holder to swing about said adapter about an axis parallel to said punch, and means for securing said holder in the desired relation to said adapter.

9, A punching device for use between'the bed and ram oil-a press brake, including a holder havin cooperating punch and die units mounted thereon, a rail mounted on the bed of said press brake, an adapter formed to be slid lengthwise of said rail into different positions thereon and on which said holder may be mounted, clamp-- ing means for securing said adapter in fixed relation to said rail, and a pivotal connection between said adapter and said holder about which said holder may swing about an axis parallel to said punch, and means for securing said holder in fixed relation to said adapter.

10. The combination with a press having a bed and a ram reciprocable toward and from said bed, of a plurality of punching devices removably secured on said bed and arranged in the desired relation to each other to produce a plurality of holes in the work in the desired relation to the work, each of said punching devices including a holder having a plurality of punches stationarily mounted thereon, a die having a stem guided on said holder for movement toward and from said punches, said die having a plurality of apertures arranged to cooperate with said punches and said stem being held against turning relatively to said holder to insure registration of said apertures in said die with said punches, the die of each punching device extending above said holder, all 01' the dies of said punching devices being arranged to be actuated simultaneously by said ram for perforating the work.

11. The combination with a press having a bed and a ram reciprocable toward and from said bed, of aplurality of punching devices removably secured on said bed and arranged in the desired relation to each other to produce a plurality of holes in the work in the desired relation to the work, each of said punching devices including a holder having a plurality of punches stationarily mounted thereon, a die having a stem guided on said holder for movement toward and from said punches, said die having a plurality of apertures arranged to cooperate with said punches and said stem being held against turning relatively to said holder to insure registration of said apertures in said die with said punches, the die of each punching device extending above said holder, and a spring for each of said dies for urging said dies into their upper positions t facilitate the insertion of the work between said punches and said dies, said dies of all of said punching devices being arranged to be actuated simultaneously by said ram during its movement toward said bed for perforating the work.

12. A punching device includin a rigid holder having a base and a head and formed to receive the work between said base and said head, a block mounted on said base and having a plurality of punches extending through said block and resting on said base, a stripper plate guided for movement toward and from said block, springs urging said stripper plate into position tqjtrip work from said punches, said block having holes in which the lower portions of said springs are arranged, bolts having their head ends mounted for limited sliding in said base in the direction of their lengths and having their other ends secured to said stripper plate for limiting the movement of said stripper plate relatively to said punches and for placing said stripper springs under initial compression, and a die mounted on said head and having .a plurality of apertures for cooperation with said punches and guided on said holder for movement toward and from said punches without rotation relatively to said punches.

GEORGE F. WALES. 

